to fix the national debt. i feel like any time you get to hear allen simpson say these old coots and talk about instagraming your breakfast, it not only screams fiscal responsibility and could be used in peace talks and could cure the common cold. take a look at how the video ends. >> the lasso again. and then the horseback. horse, horse, the cowboys ride, the cowboys -- >> it's video prozac. you're welcome. you know, it's too bad the house of representatives went home for a break because i think that video is just what washington needs to crack the whole fiscal cliff thing wide open. all i'm saying is i think it has the power to bring people together simpson style. that's it for us. thanks for watching. erin burnett out front starts now. "out front" next, 27 days away from the fiscal cliff.

octagenarians doing gangnam style, no deal, and what syria is planning to do if bashar al assad will do if he uses chemical weapons against his own people? a woman with a 1% survival after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria. she made it. tonight let's go "out front." good evening. i'm erin burnett. out front, gangnam style. this is how one man sees the fiscal cliff. this is allen simpson, as in the simpson in simpson/bowles. ♪ >> yep, that may be the most actions the fiscal cliff saw today. here's the scene on capitol hill here at noon. yep, people leaving, members of

congress leaving washington, heading home on a wednesday afternoon. one man standing was the house speaker and he says, i'm not going anywhere. >> i'll be here and i'll be available at any moment to sit down with the president to get serious about solving this problem. >> but, of course, it takes two to tango. where does president obama stand? >> we can probably solve this in about a week. it's not that tough. >> he's absolutely right about that. but we heard earlier this evening the president and speaker boehner did speak late today on the phone. that's good news. but in this case, we think we need facetime. they need to sit down face to face, pound it out, face to face breeds trust. even the democrats think the president needs to do a little more in-person work on this. >> the president is not somebody who -- he's prioritizing spending evenings with his family instead of going down and having a bourbon on the rocks

with some of the congressional folks. >> sometimes, though, you need to do the bourbon. like when the country needs you. bourbon, beer, wine, whatever, after a couple drinks the president and boehner could, you know, pull a simpson. >> the lasso again and then the horseback. horse, horse, the cowboys ride, the cowboys ride. >> i mean, what is it? that's the special beer you would drink to get you to dance the gangnam style. if you did the gangnam style, your approval ratings might go up. out front, bob mcclintock, sir, appreciate you taking time. you're still in the capitol. we showed your colleagues going home on a wednesday night after working a three-day week. obviously, that's an image that frustrates so many americans. why are people going home before getting this done? >> unfortunately, we're not using the standard process where

the house passes its version, the senate passes its version and then a conference committee, a process evolved over centuries is very good at resolving impasses like this between the two houses. unfortunately, none of that's being used. >> in that plan john boehner put $800 billion on the table. he said he would close loopholes and those people would pay more money. you're a member of the tea party caucus. some in your caucus have slammed the plan, jim demint among them. do you think john boehner is the guy who's going to get this done? is he going to be able to lead your party to consensus? >> i don't know the answer to that question. what he's trying to do is to

mitigate the damage that obama would do with these massive increases in rates. impasse is not an option. means everybody's taxes go up, but if the president has his way, taxes are going to go up on those very wealthy folks making over $200,000, but most are not very wealthy or folks, most are small businesses filing subchapter "s" companies, about 88% of net small business income will be for these taxes when we're depending on them to create two-thirds of the new jobs. boehner's trying to mitigate that mess. i wish him luck. something's going to f to have to give. >> something is going to have to give. from everybody i've talked to and from what we've heard, there two options for the country. one, go over the cliff. the other, extend the bush tax cuts for the 98% of americans. everyone who makes under $200,000 a year if they're single, $250,000 if they're a family. those seem to be the two choices. between those, which do you pick? >> but, if we do that and raise

the taxes on those small businesses we were just talking about, according to the congressional budget office, that's going to mean 200,000 american families will be out of work next year. and that's the low estimate. ernst & young is estimating about 700,000 more unemployed. that's a lot of hurt for the middle class, so this is a battle for the middle class even when we're talking about that upper bracket because of the enormous impact that has on small business job creators. >> okay. i mean, aside from that argument though, i'm really trying to just get at the process here. because it does seem, congressman, there isn't that much of a choice right now. i mean, the president has said, rates have to go up. not just revenue. rates. or he'll veto it. and he seems to mean it. he does mean it. >> as i said, failures not an option. an impasse means taxes go up on everybody, including those job creators. >> so, you're saying you'll go off the cliff before you extend

for the 98% of americans? >> no, i did not say that. what i did say is we cannot afford an impasse. something is going to have to give. i can't make that prediction tonight what it's going to be, but the president's plan means hundreds of thousands of middle class families losing their jobs next year. an impasse means that's going to happen, plus taxes going up on everybody else. neither one is a viable option. >> right. but we're going to get in a choice where you do have to make a choice. i guess i'm saying, is is there a way in which you, congressman, would vote for tax rates to go up, because that's the only way to not have that impasse and not go off the cliff. >> erin, i've got to look at any pro pose sal before i make a proposal before i make a commitment on it. but i'm telling you tonight, the two ail tern i haves that you've offered, an impasse or the president's plan, neither of those works. both of them do enormous damage to our nation's economy. >> senator tom coburn today as you know, very vocal on this issue. he's put years into it.

he's reached out across the aisle, worked with people like senator mark warner. he said he would rather raise tax rates than eliminate loopholes and cap deductions, which is the opposite of what it sounds like you're saying or speaker boehner is saying. what do you think of tom coburn's idea? would you take a look at it? >> i think coburn's basically coming from a standpoint as these taxes are programmed to go into effect december 31st unless something happens and he's trying to make something happen. again, i can't make a prediction on where we're going to end up because i don't know. >> well, do you think we're going to get a deal by the end of the year? i mean, that's the question. and the whole world is watching this. some of them laughing at us, but also could cause a real problem in our financial markets. >> well, we have to. because if we allow those taxes to go up, or if we allow the president's plan for them to go up on the people that we're actually depending upon to make a new jobs in this dismal economy, boy, the world's going to be laughing at us then and nobody in america is going to be

laughing. there's going to be an all world of hurt going around. >> the bottom line is you don't like the option, but you're willing to look. and that includes rates going up? you're willing to look? >> but i would certainly hope that we would come up with a process that's worked a lot better when we used it in the past, the business of leaders getting behind closed doors, working out a deal and dumping it in the laps of congress. that's not the way it's supposed to work. >> we appreciate your taking the time tonight. a big question for this country. after a big loss in november, some in the republican party are calling for a big change. and some are saying the next race needs to include conversations about race. plus, hillary clinton in 2016, this is pretty amazing, some stunning numbers about the groundwork. and american internet mogul john mcafee on the run after his neighbor is found murdered. authorities are searching for him. our martin savidge went on the hunt, tracked him down, he's out front. ♪

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our second story, bucking the establishment. fed up after the republican party's loss in the election. some members of the gop are pushing former congressman j.c. watts to run for chairman. but a lot of people in the party don't seem too hot on the idea. a leader tells our peter hamby he had no prayer. roland martin warns that responses like that could backfire. he writes even if they choose not to vote for watts, if he decides to even seek the job, it is his skin color and perspective. that is strl to the central to the gop having any sort of presidential future. "out front" tonight, c.j. watts. let me ask you point blank, what do you think about what roland martin had to say, what the party has to respond to you even considering running, thinking about race? >> well, erin, i don't

necessarily believe that the answer is to take a black face and put him in the chairmanship at the rnc or female or hispanic or asian ornatetive americ nati. i think it's bigger than that. i think we have to surround ourselves, at the rnc and throughout the party, we have to understand diversity. diversity is not a bad word. i take a biblical world view on diversity. god made you white. he made me black. he made you a female. he made me a male. i think god likes diversity. so if it's good for god, it ought to be good for republicans. but the fact is, it's hard to have perspective and it's hard to have diversity with women or black or red or yellow or brown or white if you have no relationships. and if i don't know the chairman of the republican national committee, i have no confidence

that he has any relationship with chuck roast black guy, with bill fold working white guy, with joe six pack hispanic. if i don't know him and i don't say that to be self-serving, i just say that to point out how perplexes this is, when we think we can get people to vote for us if we don't know them. >> let's look at your bio. you were a member of congress from oklahoma for eight years. you were elected chairman of the house republican conference, that's the fourth ranking leadership position, and now you're the chairman of communications and public affairs company. you've had a long history in the republican party and as a manager, and our peter hamby, our reporter who covered this, reported what the news about you running for the rnc chair was greeted. . he said he was met with a mix of quote, skepticism, disbelief and

even a hint of ridicule. do you believe it is racially driven? >> erin, i don't. i think this. i think every single republican ought to be concerned the fact that we've gotten our heads handed to us in 2008 and 2012. i am speaking as a concerned republican and you know, one of the things in politics, erin, we like to grade our own test, and if you grade your own test, you know what happens? >> you get an "a." >> you always give yourself a good grade. and we lost with every single demographic, i think, with the exception of white men and people over 56 years of age. and then, you know, we were pushing the evangelical pro-life catholic, we're pushing them out of the mix and we don't get them juiced up, you know, because we say, forget about the social issues. we can be a socially

conservative party. we can be an economically conservative party. we can fight for the values of reagan that he won a landslide election with in 1984. but at the same time, we don't have to abandon our humanity to do it. what are we saying to single moms? to red, yellow, black, brown and white small business owners? we've got to have deeper relationships with nontraditional constituencies. that's just the fact. >> well, i mean, it is the fact. i don't know who could disagree with you on that. i mean, look at the exit polls. 93% of african-americans voted for the president. i mean, you know, you are in an incredible minority as a black republican. something you're well aware of. >> but, erin, let me add this, the prident got 96% of the vote in 2008. he got 93% in 2012. he lost three point. and i think he lost three points, in my opinion, i'll have

to fact-check this, but i would submit to you he probably lost those three points because of his position on marriage. but those three points didn't go to mitt romney or republicans, because those three points said, we don't know republicans. we don't have relationships with with them. so, we'll just stay home. i submit to you they probably stayed home. they didn't vote for republicans. >> so, but how do you get african-americans, a group that is so traditionally identified as democratic -- or latinos, 71% voted for the president. 73% of asian voters and the stereotype of asian voters is different for african-american or hispanic voters. they're all voting democratic. what is is it about the republican party that could possibly win these people over? >> well, erin, the fact is, and i've said this publicly before, i don't allow the republican party to lead me on issues that i thought were important to the black community. and that's not to say that the black community agree with me on everything.

but i tell you what, when i was in congress, i want historical black colleges and universities to have a seat at the republican table, so i had conferences every year for them. i wanted black small business owners, white small business owners, latino small business owners, to have access and relationships to the department of defense, federal agencies, to understanding the contracting process. you know, sure, i think there are things you can do to say, hey, these have my values, these are my principles. how do i help you accomplish what you want to accomplish in life? but it all starts with establishing a relationship and there's not a lot of diversity over the republican national committee, which is the institution i think that should be driving these type of initiatives and these type of efforts. >> all right, well, j.c., good to see you. we appreciate your time. thank you. "out front," the cnn is huddling

on what a chemical attack by bashar al assad would actually look like. we have a picture from former cia operative bob baer here to show you. this is showing you what the single impact of saren gas would be if it were launched on the western city of homs in syria. a large swath of the city would be impacted by a single shell. it's estimated 18,000 people would be killed in a day. let's get straight to cnn pentagon correspondent barbara starr. barbara, what have you learned tonight? >> well, you know, as tragic and serious as this is for the people of syria, this now has regional implications throughout the middle east. intelligence services from israel, turkey, jordan, lebanon, all the countries surrounding syria are now talking with the united states around the clock about this very scenario. because if there were to be, god

forbid, a chemical attack, the concern is some of that could drift across boreder ed. worse, even as tragic as that would be, what if the regime collapses, terrorists move in, insurgent groups move in and grab some chemical material. they could take it across the borders into the neighbors countries and you would have a full-fledged crisis in the region. >> there has been talk that assad may try and seek asylum. what are you being told about that and the possibilities? >> you know, there's a lot of rumors out there. the betting money is that the three countries that you hear about the most are russia, venezuela and iran. all countries that have been his allies, although the russians clearly are losing some of their support for assad given this recent crisis with the chemical weapons. so those are the countries you hear about. now, the assessment is that assad isn't ready to go. the u.s. says it hasn't seen

anything in term of concrete asylum offers. maybe assad's commanders think the boss is getting cold feet and might dessert them. >> barbara starr, thank you very much. "out front" next, 57% of americans say they would vote for hillary clinton in four years. think about recent elections have gone. that would be an incredible mandate. what does she say about iran? and john mcafee still on the run after his neighbor was found murdered. martin savidge tracked him down and he is "outfront" next. c-max, you see, c-max helps you load your freight, with its foot-activated lift gate. but that's not all you'll see, cause c-max also beats prius v, with better mpg. say hi to the all-new 47 combined mpg c-max hybrid. i have a cold...

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welcome back to the second half of "outfront." we start the second half with stories we care about where we focus on our reporting from the front lines. we begin at the university of colorado-denver, which has released thousands of e-mails related to james holmes. the man accused of killing 12 people at a colorado movie theater. the release includes e-mails that holmes sent and received as well as staff eames sent after his attack. among them is an internal e-mail from the university in which the school identifies him for the first time. another notes a campus lab should check to see if chemicals were missing. we also learn the theater where

the shooting took place will re-open in january. north korea appears to be working to launch a rocket this month. this satellite image is from december 4th and what you're looking at is increased activity at the site, for an analysis for our security clearance. firm said significant activity is happening that hasn't been seen before. like additional work on the launch tower. nato urged north korea today to cancel the launch, saying it could exacerbate tensions in the region. well, the trustee in charge of winding down mf global says the remaining claims will be resolved in the next few months. only 200 haven't been resolved. since the firm failed over a year ago, about $5 billion has been paid out to customers. well, the united states has sent military planners to help develop a plan for possible military intervention in northern mali, however johnny carson told a senate committee

today that any attempt to oust al qaeda in islamic maghreb has to be african led, and that is isn't going to happen until 2013. that may be too far away to make the difference needed. it is been 489 days since the u.s. lost its top credit rating. a report says businesses added 118,000 private sector jobs in november. and now, hillary for president. 57% of americans say they would support a clinton candidacy in 2016. 66% of all women. even 23% of republicans give another clinton run the nod. now, she say said she isn't doing to run, but her actions may speak louder than those words. liberal columnist maureen dowd

quotes, clinton is energetically rounding up the usual suspects, making speeches, solidifying relationships with democrats in washington. tonight, donna brazil and david frum, former speech writer for george w. bush. donna, you know hillary clinton and you know her so well. you worked on both of her husband's political campaign. the poll numbers look pretty stunning, but you know, it's easy to talk about something in the hypothetical, then someone runs and people start finding out all kinds of bad things about you. what do you think? >> well, first of all, there are 1,422 days until the next big presidential election. >> who's counting, donna? >> i'm always counting. let me start by saying i think secretary clinton is a phenomenal woman. she has been a proven leader at the state department. she has not only the right credentials if she decides to run, but i believe that right now, she's focusing on the job at hand.

tomorrow, i think she's giving a human rights speech in ireland. and beyond that, i think she wants to complete her tenure as secretary of state, perhaps rest, revive and get herself back into the kind of campaign lifestyle that maybe she wants to get back into. but i think she has enough time to figure out what she wants to do. perhaps, write a book on her amazing accomplishments and and to think about 2016, perhaps some time in 2014. she has time. >> she has time. i don't know. her husband was telling me, ooipg i'm going to take hillary, we're going to go hiking on mt. kilimanjaro. i thought, yeah, you'll end up wanting to do something political at some point. it will get boring hanging around all the time. josh marshall tweeted this today, need to flag to republicans that they need to go back to hating hillary, probably some time over the next 12 to 18 months. the hash tag was revert to form.

republicans have been so focused on susan rice and the benghazi incident, no one has put any focus on hillary clinton. is that going to help her? >> hillary clinton has been very adept at making sure she had no fingerprints on the benghazi fiasco or any part of it. no, it won't help. what josh is getting at there is we have a very polarized political system where we're no longer the country where people could rally to "i like ike" because he was a figure outside politics. what you're seeing in that poll is, one, a name recognition effect, and, two, a lot of republicans who remember the 2008 hillary clinton versus barack obama fight. barack obama won, so they liked hillary clinton. if hillary clinton had won in 2008, you would hear lots of republicans saying, none of this would be happening if that idealistic barack obama had won instead. if hillary clinton is the nominee in 2016, this will be an election decided by three or four percentage points. it will not be a 57/30 election.

>> it always tightens. i'm curious about the other side since you're talking about 2008. marco rubio and paul ryan both spoke at this dinner and they were -- these were speeches where they're trying to define themselves as who they are. both probably going to run in 2016. how would a rubio/ryan stack up against a hillary clinton? in a sense it sort of feels like 2008 reversed, right, except for experience would come on the democratic side with hillary and the youth and this sort of idealism might perhaps come from a rubio or ryan on the republican side? >> well, if i look at that poll you were referring to, hillary clinton is the overwhelming favorite among young people, especially young women. young people and young women, clearly they're going to help determine future elections. look, i think paul ryan and marco rubio, are trying to rebrand themselves and recast the republican party as a party of diversity and, perhaps, big ideas and a larger goalpost. i want to also say this because i have to say this as vice chair of the party. as you know, the democratic

party has a large and broad base, including vice president biden, who's done terrific job in his capacity as second in command, but we also have a lot of governors, a lot of diversity, duval patrick, and governor cuomo. now you have senator-elect elizabeth warren that might be considered presidential timber. i don't want to throw all our eggs in one basket, because there's wonderful of people -- martin o'malley, the governor of colorado. there are so many people, like the republicans, there will be a large field of candidates, but no question if secretary of state hillary clinton decided to throw her gloves into the race, game on. >> she's got a lot of competition. >> oh, absolutely. >> david, do you think the republican party will have the strongest field it's had in maybe a generation next time around? >> i thought actually 2008 frgs the strongest field the republican party has had in a long time.

i think we'll see a lot of recruitment from governors. it was spectacular to see rubio and ryan on the stage. they are very popular with washington elite. they struck some important themes. they didn't have real content but themes about broadening the base of the party. the republican party strength is in the states. always has been. that's where revival comes from. i think one should keep an eye on republican governors. i think one should not be so quick to think it's going to be a replay and reaction to the events of 2012. >> thanks to both. >> thank you. disguised his death in intrigue, john mcafee, on the run, now seeking asylum in guatemala. he was supposed to speak to reporters but he never showed up. it's been a caught and mouse game he's been playing with authorities who want to question him about his neighbor in belize who was murdered.

>> no one has blamed me for the murder. i have not been charged. i am not a suspect. they merely want to question me about the murder. >> so why is he on the move? cnn's martin savidge actually tracked him down in belize. it was no small feat. that in and of itself, i know, was a rather bizarre and surreal experience. martin's "out front." what's going on here? this man's on the run. possibly going to be questioned for murder. what is going on with him? >> well, let's talk about the news conference that was on again/off again. we thought today he was going to apply for asylum in guatemala. not sure how far that process has moved along. press conference we thought was going to happen is not going to happen. now it's been rescheduled, according to his website, for tomorrow. and he's allotted two hours for this press conference. so he must have a great deal he's going to say to the public. and what he's going to say, only john knows. that's usually the way john

likes is it. and as far as what's going on, he apparently got out of belize and he's apparently happy to stay in guatemala for the moment. and that's all you can really say. he had insinuated to me he was going to run. he didn't say guatemala. i pretty much figured that out though because his girlfriend is from there and she is the uncle of the man who is now representing john mcafee. >> when you found him and he was in disguise, i remember you talking about it. i mean, that he was literally completely changed his look and his face. what struck you about him? i mean, is he crazy? >> well, beyond the whackiness of the disguise that didn't fool anybody. that was the first indicator of, oh, boy, this is really going to be something here 37 but when we sat down with him and talked with him, what struck me the most is here's a man that can speak to you so clearly, concisely. he's very well spoken, intelligent thoughts, but he's saying such really off-the-wall stuff. he looks in good health. de appear nervous but i found

out, you know, he's very charismatic, he's engaging. a lot of things i had not expected. i did, expect, perhaps just a straight-on mad man. he is not that. and i'm not really sure what he is, but is he still very much a fascinating story that more and more people tune in to say, what in the world did mcafee do today? >> it is amazing. martin savidge, thank you very much, who's been on the hunt to find mr. mcafee. more deadly violence in egypt. masked men set fire to the headquarters of the muslim brotherhood and a woman's inspirational recovery. this is one of the most incredible stories you'll ever hear. we followed amy copeland's amazing story for months. [ tissue box ] he said nasal congestion. yeah...i heard him. [ female announcer ] tylenol® cold multi-symptom nighttime relieves nasal congestion. nyquil® cold and flu doesn't.

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we're back with tonight's outer circle where we reach out to our sources around the world and we go to cairo where three advisers to president mohamed morsi have stepped down as violence has intensified. demonstrators set fire to oofss of the muslim brotherhood. reza is in cairo. >> reporter: president morsi thought he was going to have a cake walk to the nationwide

referendum on december 15th on the constitution, he was mistaken. at least three of his advisers resigned tonight as opposition factions continue to put on the pressure against the president and this time, things got ugly and violent in front of the presidential palace. that's where you had supporters of the president and opponents of the president facing off in what started as a staredown and then evolved into an all-out brawl. two sides were clashing by throwing rocks, debris, even molotov cocktails. police came in at one point and broke up some of the clashes. others continued throughout the night. the clock is ticking towards the vote on december 15th. now the question, will the vote take place or will the president back down? erin? our fifth story "out front" beating the odds. when 24-year-old amy copeland contracted a deadly flesh-eating disease in may, doctors gave her a 1% chance of survival. tonight, amy's recovery is an inspiration to all and as you're about to see, she's thriving.

24-year-old amy copeland was a typical grad student at the university of west georgia, working on a masters in psychology. she loved the outdoors. but that changed last may after a zip line adventure outside atlanta. the zip line snapped as amy was riding it. she fell into the river. she cut her leg and needed 22 staples to close the wind. but she thought things were okay. a few days later, still in pain, she went back to the hospital and learned she had a flesh-eating bacteria. within days, it began ravaging her body and within weeks, doctors were forced to amputate her leg. that's when we first spoke to amy's father, andy. >> i believe the doctors probably would have said she had probably around a 1% chance of survival that night she arrived here. >> reporter: after two months in the hospital, the disease claimed both of amy's hands, both feet and her left leg. but as her sister paige told us

back in june, amy continued to fight. >> she cherishes life. she relishes life. every day is a gift. i mean, she always had had that outlook, even before her accident. >> surrounded by her family, amy moved home at the end of august. local builders donated a $200,000 addition to make life easier for her to get around. she's been fitted with three prosthetic limbs, has an automated wheelchair and she's planning on returning to college and getting that masters degree. >> it's just a really unbelievable regimen she does for about an hour and a half each day, so she's really pushing it hard right now. >> amy's an inspiration and in the past seven months she's overcome obstacles. she's being honored tonight at georgia's annual women event. she's joining us tonight. and amy, thank you so much. people hear your story and they're in awe of you. i am in awe of you. i think i couldn't have done it and so many people say they couldn't have done what you have done and a lot of people couldn't have.

when you think about it, what is it about you that has made you fight and beat every odd and be triumphant? >> yeah, that's a question a lot of people ask me. it's really hard to say where these things come from. you know, part of me wants to say there's something innate in all humans that help us to overcome these odds. but, you know, sometimes that doesn't happen. so, a part of me wants to say it's a part of a bigger plan, a bigger picture but at the same time i've had so much support from my family, my friend, my educational background, so, you know, i think it's just i culmination of a ton of different things you can't really pinpoint but all i can do is just thank god i'm here. >> i leave you still have hooks for your hands, but are you going to be moving towards getting, you know, a real hand replacement, a prosthetic? >> i hope so. i've been doing a lot of research and there's really, really cool stuff on the market. there is a mioelectric hand i'm very interested in. it can produce several different

grasps, almost mimicking a real hand. so, i'm definitely interested in getting that. right now, however, what i'm most interested in is getting out of the wheelchair because that does restrict a lot of my mobility. what i'm focusing on now is actually making the left leg. i'm been talking to my prosthetist about it. hopefully tomorrow we'll be making the mold of my left leg. and once that leg is is completed, my next priority will be getting some better functioning hands. >> what you had to overcome is is so incredible. are you to relearn everything. things people wouldn't normally think about doing, styling your hair, brushing your teeth, getting dressed. what's been the hardest thing for you? >> at this point i think the hardest thing to do is handling objects and keeping them in my hands, so not dropping them. because if things are in my reach, i can pretty much do everything. when i drop something on the ground, there's not a whole lot

i can do about it. luckily, that might change soon because i will hopefully be getting a service dog very soon and that dog will help me by picking things up off the ground, opening and closing doors. that's another difficult thing, closing a door on yourself, with a wheelchair in the way. that's difficult. i would definitely say accessing things. >> and do you feel your body -- have you gotten used to your new body and the way things are? >> a little bit. i think it's definitely still getting used to it, you know, every day when i wake up in the morning, i'm not in that place that i wake up and i'm like, oh, this is how normally things are. it's definitely taking some getting used to. i've started to dream i'm amputated in my dream. i think that's an interesting reflection of our everyday waking life, is that in my dreams, that is now -- i think it's become a bigger part of me now that my unconscious is

really internalizing that. >> you know, it's only been seven months, amy. seven months. your dad says you back to your old self. he's worried about you because have you that car, you're out driving all the time, staying out late with your friends and boyfriends. have any of your relationships changed? >> i think a little bit, especially when i spend time with people for the first time since my accident. i think a lot of times they don't really know how to act or what to say. but usually it doesn't take long for things to become more normal and people see i'm really comfortable with myself, so there's no reason they should be uncomfortable. >> what about your future? i know you're finishing your masters and on track to do that. your thesis on wilderness for amp tees and you'll get another masters when you graduate this summer. you said another masters in social work. what do you wanted to do? >> what i'm most interested in doing is what my thesis resolves around and that's getting out in the field in natural areas and

helping other people with disabilities. emotionally, physically and spiritually. >> do you have moments when you think, you know, i can't do this? you know, those moments in the middle of the night where you say, this just isn't fair? >> sure, yeah. i have really hard moments, definitely. when things aren't going right or a lot of times if i'm by myself, i can't get to something. and i think it's really necessary to fully experience those moments of grooet, of just absolute exhaustion, and to experience them, accept them, allow them to pass. and over the horizon there's always more sunshine and more love. >> tonight at the celebrating wonderful women fund-raiser, you're honored, the woman of the year. you are such a beacon of home and inspiration to people who are suffering and frankly to people who aren't. you motivate people to be

better, kinder, stronger. is the role hard? it's got to be hard. people are looking at you to always be so -- to be the rock for other people. >> yeah, you know, i think that it's really important to bring hope to those who have none and to give a voice to those who can't speak. so, i'm definitely willing to take on that role. i'm not a perfect person. but i know together we can definitely provide that hope and provide that advocacy for the people who really need it, which is why this benefit is actually going to benefit wellspring living, which is a residential community for women and girls who have been sexually exploited. we are trying through this event to help those that maybe don't feel like they have any hope left and to show them there's still love in the world. >> amy, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> an incredible, incredible

woman. up next, inconorth korea no korea spending tens of millions to memorialize their dead leader. [ male announcer ] imagine facing the day with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine living your life with less chronic low back pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens,

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almost a year after his death, kim jong-il looms large over north korea north korea. largely because officials have worked so hard to perpetuate his image. this year aleen north korean authorities erected at least eight statues of the former leader around the country, including one that stands 75 feet tall. they inscribed his name on more than 3,000, quote/unquote, towers of eternal life at crossroads around the country and have plans to renovate the palace where his body lies in state. this is expensive. this is a breakdown of the costs. the statues cost $60 million. inscriptions, $25 million. portraits of kim jong-il, $20 million. that's more than $100 million on memorials in just a year. and it's money north korea north korea doesn't have. how is the country paying for it? well, north koreans have asked to kick in $150 each to pay for the memorials. they don't have the money. and north korea north korea is going to borrow some of it from

countries like russia at rates as high as 40%. that's a lot of money for any country, especially one like north korea north korea. a u.n. report estimates two-thirds of north koreans suffer from chronic food shortage. $100 million, the money spent on the memorials, it-f it was spent on food would have brought enough corn to wipe out north korea's 500 ton food shortfall. most of our talk is about north korea's missiles but tonight's story struck a chord with us showing the greatest wrong done in north korea, aided by other countries, is to north koreans. piers morgan tonight starts now. [ male announcer ] introducing...

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